How Projects Launch on Kickstarter

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Over the past five years, more than 200,000 creators have shared their projects with the team at Kickstarter. We work with creators to provide advice and support, and to review whether their projects align with our focus on bringing creative projects to life. Last year we made an important change to our review process. Today we’d like to update you on what’s happened since.

It’s important to note that every project on Kickstarter is reviewed — first by an algorithm and then, if needed, by a member of our team. How does the algorithm work? It analyzes thousands of attributes in a project and looks at how our team has handled similar projects. If the algorithm gives a green light, the creator can launch their project immediately, or get personal feedback from a member of our team first. If the algorithm puts up a red light, the project is manually reviewed by our team to make sure it meets our rules. Simple as that.

Here’s how this has played out since we finished rolling out a new version of the system in June:

As you can see, 31% of projects chose to launch on their own, 9% asked for additional help from our team, and 60% were manually reviewed by a team member.

This new process is a big improvement in three important ways: it creates a fast track for projects that have historically been simple approvals; it makes our team even more available to creators who want additional support; and it gives us more time to make informed decisions about the projects we need to review. As more projects come in, we’ll continue to refine the algorithm and process to help more creators share their creative projects with the world.

Why do we put so much attention into reviewing projects? Because it's our job to make sure we're fostering a healthy community — one where everybody's clear on how things work, people can trust one another, and projects of all shapes and sizes can succeed. We have a few simple rules, built to make sure that happens. A healthy Kickstarter means being diligent about making sure new projects fit those guidelines — and taking the time to talk with anyone who could use a little help.

Have a project of your own you’d like to share with the Kickstarter community? Get started here. We look forward to working with you — as much or as little as you need.